US embassy cable - 05BAGHDAD3477

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 003477 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/25/2025 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, KDEM, IZ 
SUBJECT: IECI MEETS WITH ADNAN DULAIMI AND OTHER SUNNI 
LEADERS 
 
REF: BAGHDAD 3442 
 
Classified By: PolCouns Robert Ford reasons 1.4(b) and (d) 
 
1. (C) Summary.  At an Embassy-facilitated, August 23 
meeting with the Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq 
(IECI), Sunni Conference Chairman Adnan Dulaimi pressed for 
more voter registration centers in Al-Anbar and an 
extension of the voter registration period.  Sunni 
Constitution Committee representative Hasseb Arif 
complained that Al-Anbar sites are too few in number and 
located too far away for many residents.  The Sunni and 
IECI representatives agreed that more outreach by 
government and political entities is needed to educate the 
public.  They further agreed to form a joint working 
committee to improve coordination between IECI and Sunnis. 
On August 24, UN Electoral Operations Chief David Avery 
indicated that the UN may provide some funding to Sunni 
outreach initiatives, and predicted that the IECI will 
extend the Al-Anbar voter registration period by one week. 
Most Sunni Arab leaders distrust IECI and worry about 
unfairness in upcoming elections.  Embassy organized this 
meeting as a means to encourage Sunni Arab leaders and IECI 
to began talking with each other.  End Summary. 
 
2. (C) Further to reftel, Embassy Baghdad arranged a 
meeting for Sunni Conference Chairman Dulaimi and TNA 
Constitution Committee Member Arif with IECI commissioners 
to discuss Sunni voter registration concerns.  Accompanying 
Dulaimi and Arif were Sunni Conference Spokesman Mohammed 
Abbass, Anwar Al-Lahebi, and Imad Mohammad Ali.  All of the 
IECI commissioners attended, except for Commissioner Safwat 
who was reportedly ill, as did UN Electoral Operations 
Chief David Avery. 
 
3. (C) Dulaimi and Arif pressed the IECI commissioners for 
more voter registration centers (VRCs) in Sunni areas. 
They further asked for an extension of the voter 
registration period due to delays in opening VRCs.  Arif 
claimed that for two weeks no registration centers had been 
available in Al-Anbar, and that only a few of the 28 
planned registration centers are now open.  Arif said 
people have complained of political bias at some centers, 
and asked for impartial observers to monitor registration 
sites.  In Kirkuk, for example, Arif alleged that Iraqi 
Police guarding some centers have been obstructive, telling 
certain residents that the centers were closed when they 
were actually open.   Abbas added that there is 
insufficient public outreach on voter registration, 
especially in Al-Anbar.  Dulaimi requested funding 
assistance from the IECI and UN.  Dulaimi said he planned 
to expand his outreach and soon visit Diyala to meet with 
tribal leaders there.  Finally, the Sunni representatives 
and IECI commissioners recognized that more outreach by 
government and political entities was needed to better 
educate the public, and agreed to form a joint working 
committee to improve coordination between IECI and Sunnis. 
 
4. (C) Subsequent to the meeting, UN Electoral Operations 
Chief Avery told Poloff on August 24 that the UN may 
provide some funding to Sunni outreach initiatives, and 
predicted that the IECI will extend the Al-Anbar voter 
registration period by one week. 
 
5. (C) Comment:  Most Sunni Arab leaders distrust IECI and 
worry that the next elections will be unfair.  We organized 
the August 23 meeting to get Sunni Arab leaders (most of 
whom had had no contact with the IECI) to talk directly 
with the commissioners.  To further encourage dialogue, 
Embassy is working with USMC in Al-Anbar to arrange an IECI 
visit to the province for discussions with local leaders 
about voter registration and elections.  End Comment. 
 
Khalilzad